Just replace the missing structure by using a piece a thin aluminum flat bar stock (or similar) from the hardware store to bridge across there and attach it (pop-rivets or the like) to the part that still remains. Then line up the license plate, mark the aluminum where the holes should go and drill them to suit.

Alternatively, you could shape some little straps to fit vertically on each end of the plate (in line with where the old bolt holes were), and extend the new aluminum material upwards from the broken point to provide for a new bolt hole in the right location. Likewise, you'd attach them to the remaining bumper material where the plate will cover it up.

This ain't rocket science. Basically, most any competent body man, or even mechanic, could fabricate a simple replacement structure for the plate backing/attachment point. It's not like there is a whole lot of stress or strain on the plate, so there is little need to get all overcomplicated about a fix there.

.02


BTW, you do realize you bumped and EIGHT YEAR OLD thread here, right?

 

Thanks for your help. My concern, and the reason I posted, is that it not look like just any old mechanic put something in there to make it work. Amazingly poor design for such a great car, hoping I can get this fixed without it looking like I had to fix it.

 

Just make sure all your attachment points are hidden behind where the plate will cover.

 

Thanks. The width of the opening is wider than the license plate, so I think I'm going to paint the new metal strip and the top of the exposed bolts with Dr. Colorchip and try to get it to blend in.

 

Just stick some 3M tape on there.. you won't be taking your license plate off soon anyways.

 

I don't think you realize what the part that is missing looks like. The plate doesn't cover the entire are even when you have the proper part on there, and it IS NOT body color!.

I went ahead and looked up the bumper and did find the actual part you are looking for. It is sold separately, and it costs about $75 if you shop around, which is pretty stupid once you see all that it is. It is basically exactly what I described: A simple cross piece (although made out of plastic!) that is riveted to the main bumper, and has holes drilled at the appropriate place for the license plate.

Here's the part:

(it's number 10 in the diagram shown, and the part number is 85071-JK60A)
(part #11 is for the rivets that hold it on)
http://www.trademotion.com/parts/200...iagram=3841560

Or look at this ebay auction for a whole rear bumper. The first 3 pictures show the piece you are talking about, but if you go to the second page of pics (there are 12 total) you will see that the very last pic is a closeup of that piece you're trying to replace:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/07-08-09-Inf...ts=Model%3AG35

My point is, even the factory part is pretty hokey. You can easily save the money with a few bucks worth of hardware store items and a little ingenuity. Heck, if you bothered to paint it, it could even look BETTER than the stock one.


Not a bad idea at all either, except the plate normally is held off the bumper on pads to keep it from vibrating/rattling/etc. I'm sure it could still be done that way though.

 

Thanks for the pics. The problem is that now the rivets and part of the new metal strip would show, because the part that broke off ripped part of the base bumper tabs it was attached to along with it, and I would have to extend up to a wider section of the area to span the metal strip in order to get the height correct and to cover up the "empty" area where the rest of the bracket used to be. With the original design, the plate covers most of the black plastic and the rivets, so it really wasn't noticeable (though still cheap and poorly designed).

Great info, thanks again for the help, I may look at ordering that bracket rather than fashion a makeshift one, if I can figure out how to secure it with glue, etc to what is left of the tabs on the bumper..

 

Thanks! That's an interesting idea. Which type of 3M tape are you thinking of? Will it last and will it stick to plastic? I have about a 2 1/2"x 1/2" flat area on each side that I could affix it to. I could position my plate easily doing that, I would just worry about longevity.

 

This is an excellent double stick tape made specifically for automotive applications (heat cycling & weather resistant), so it will definitely work. See its typical uses shown in the pdf file. If you are still concerned about longevity, you could just buy a whole roll and replace it preemptively every year or two.

http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3...beS2Z15RR9ZVgl

http://multimedia.3m.com/mws/media/1...df?fn=4218.pdf

 

I've stuck a whole fiberglass spoiler on for a year now with 1 3 foot length of 3M tape. It feels cemented on there. A license plate will be nothing, and if you use a lot it will never come off. Just clean the area with soap, then rubbing alcohol/water and stick it on and press for a few minutes.

VQ is right those are good tapes, I used .

 

Funny, I emailed 3M, they say they don't have anything for this application. The tape you used is likely for plastic-to-plastic only, and that may be why they told me they don't have an answer? Meanwhile, on Amazon, I find this:
4.5 stars and $7, may be worth a try at least?

 

Ok, you are officially overthinking this!

 

Correct, but I don't want to have my license plate sitting in the middle of the road somewhere! Hey, I made it from fashioning a metal bar with rivets to just taping it on there, so I think I'm making progress! Thanks again for all your help!

 

Yeah, did you really think a fortune 500 company was going to recommend one of their products outside of it strictest intentions? Let alone recommend it to make a technically dubious connection of a metal part which may fall off and cause an accident behind you? . . . AND that they were going to put that all IN WRITING no less!!!

Do what you want pal, but I swear to god if you ever come across some of that tape I posted, just go ahead and try sticking it between two surfaces and then see just how easy it is to get off; metal or no!

Jeez, you're going to be checking it every year for your new registration sticker anyway.

 

Time for a new bumper